Fri Sep 5 12:17:04 2008

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Men's semis on tap for Saturday at U.S. Open

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Flushing Meadows, NY (Sports Network) - The men's semifinals are scheduled to be staged Saturday at the U.S. Open, where top-ranked Rafael Nadal will take on sixth-seeded Andy Murray and second-seeded and reigning four-time champion Roger Federer will encounter third-seeded Novak Djokovic.

Nadal is a perfect 5-0 lifetime against Murray, including 3-0 already this year. The Spaniard topped the Scotsman in Hamburg, Wimbledon and Toronto earlier in the season and is 3-0 versus the 21-year-old Murray on hardcourts over the last two years.

Murray will appear in his first-ever major semifinal, while Nadal will perform in his first career U.S. Open semi.

The five-time major titlist Nadal is a brilliant 75-8 this season, including a tour-high eight titles, while Murray is 40-13 with three championships.

The 22-year-old Nadal is the reigning Wimbledon, four-time French Open and Olympic champion. He's trying to become only the fourth man in the Open Era (since 1968) to win three straight Grand Slam events, joining Rod Laver, Pete Sampras and Federer, who has done it twice.

Meanwhile, Federer is 6-2 lifetime against the Australian Open champion Djokovic, including a win in last year's U.S. Open finale. Djokovic did, however, top the Swiss in this year's Aussie Open semis. The two have split a pair of meetings in 2008, with Federer's win coming in Monte Carlo.

The 27-year-old Federer will appear in his record 18th straight Grand Slam semifinal and is seeking his 13th major title. He's won 32 straight matches here in Flushing.

The former world No. 1 Swiss is 52-12 with two titles this year, while the 21- year-old Serbian Djokovic is 52-12 with three championships.

Inclement weather, brought on by Tropical Storm Hanna, is in the forecast for Saturday in New York.